The channels are completely isolated from the ground and from each other, allowing for series connection to simulate batteries in a stacked architecture.
“Our family of 5A battery simulators, a significant upgrade from our previous 300mA simulators, is designed to simplify and accelerate battery management system (BMS) testing,” said Stephen Jenkins, simulation product manager at Pickering. “With up to four fully isolated channels, it allows customers to emulate battery cells or modules in both low- and high-voltage stacks. It combines high drive current and accurate readouts in a compact platform ideal for demanding applications in electric vehicles (EVs), energy storage, and more.”
Its industry-standard PXI format allows the simulator to be seamlessly integrated into modular test systems, enabling a flexible, scalable, and open architecture. Additional modules can be easily added if higher voltage is required, helping to minimize capital costs and ensure future-proofing of the system investment. This modular approach also supports integration with other PXI/PXIe instruments (including third-party modules), such as fault insertion units (FIUs) or thermocouple simulators, for advanced fault and thermal response testing.
Battery management system developers can use the module to simulate faults such as cell imbalance, cell aging, and temperature effects, as well as to enable safe testing under extreme fault conditions such as overcharging and short circuits.
All channels are completely isolated from ground and from each other, and the isolation barrier (1000 V channel to ground and 750 V channel to channel) allows the module to be used as a representative battery stack of those used in modern battery electric vehicle (BEV) propulsion systems. Each channel can simulate up to 16 cells in parallel, while providing the necessary 300 mA balancing current for each cell, resulting in faster development cycles, increased safety by reducing compliance voltage, and a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).
Testing with real batteries under unbalanced or extreme conditions can be dangerous due to high voltage and the risk of thermal runaway. Pickering's battery simulator eliminates these safety concerns by emulating cells without storing energy, making it a safer alternative for high-risk testing scenarios.
Unlike traditional setups that rely on charging and discharging physical batteries, Pickering's battery simulator allows engineers to switch between test conditions instantly. This dramatically reduces testing time and ensures consistent, repeatable results without waiting for physical batteries to charge or discharge. Unlike real cells, which degrade over time, the simulator guarantees consistent, repeatable conditions, making it ideal for reliably comparing test results across different sessions.
In software development and cell balancing applications, the 5A battery simulator enables low-voltage compliance open-loop configurations for engineers' desktops, which can be scaled to closed-loop applications in real-time systems. These hardware-in-loop (HIL) tests allow for the simulation of battery models, along with embedded control systems, enabling real-time testing of algorithms such as state of charge, state of health, and cell degradation.
Energy storage system (ESS) and renewable energy developers can use the 5A battery simulator to simulate residential storage batteries, test grid-scale storage, and evaluate system compliance and safety. Furthermore, the longevity of battery packs can be improved by optimizing the voltage across the battery cells, which is especially important for older battery packs that have been repurposed for energy storage.
The aerospace and defense sector, electric aircraft, drones, and military vehicles require highly reliable battery emulation to test these safety-critical systems. Industrial equipment, including electric forklifts, mining vehicles, robotics, and marine propulsion, requires testing solutions for integrating battery management systems (BMS) with high-power industrial batteries.
Unlike many competitors, drivers are provided for Windows, Linux, and real-time operating systems. All standard products manufactured by Pickering Interfaces include a three-year warranty and long-term technical support.
